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Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter (Paperback)

October 2010 Indie Next List

“This is a spellbinding novel about friendship, honesty and race relations in Mississippi. The two main characters, Silas Jones and Larry Ott are childhood friends who have been separated by circumstance and time. Now, adults, they are thrust in each other's path again when a girl goes missing and the past must be confronted. A thriller as well as a character study, this powerful and redemptive novel, reminiscent of Dennis Lehane and Attica Locke, is unforgettable.”
— Tova Beiser, Brown University Bookstore, Providence, RI

Description

"The classic trifecta of talent, heart, and a bone-deep sense of storytelling....A masterful performance, deftly rendered and deeply satisfying. For days on end, I woke with this story on my mind." -- David Wroblewski

"A new Tom Franklin novel is always a reason to get excited, but Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter is more--a cause for celebration. What a great novel by a great novelist."--Dennis Lehane

A powerful and resonant novel from Tom Franklin--critically acclaimed author of Smonk and Hell at the Breech--Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter tells the riveting story of two boyhood friends, torn apart by circumstance, who are brought together again by a terrible crime in a small Mississippi town. An extraordinary novel that seamlessly blends elements of crime and Southern literary fiction, Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter is a must for readers of Larry Brown, Pete Dexter, Ron Rash, and Dennis Lehane.

Praise For…

“A ripping good mystery, this novel also has depth and a subtle literary side, as the local area comes to life through the writer’s cinematic descriptive phrases and a large and colorful cast of supporting characters. Highly recommended.” -Library Journal (starred review)

“A new Tom Franklin novel is always a reason to get excited, but Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter is more—a cause for celebration. What a great novel by a great novelist.” -Dennis Lehane

“Long after the other 75 novels of suspense you’ve read this year merge in your memory, you’ll vividly recall this novel. Franklin has written not just a thriller of the first order, but a very fine novel, indeed.” -Richard Russo

“A masterful performance, deftly rendered and deeply satisfying. For days on end, I woke with this story on my mind.” -David Wroblewski

“[A] terrific new novel….If you’re looking for a smart, thoughtful novel that sinks deep into a Southern hamlet of the American psyche, Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter is your next book.” -Washington Post